April marks the 44th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The Act is intended to guarantee all citizens -- regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap -- equal access to housing.

In February, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) implemented

new regulations to ensure that housing programs are open to all eligible persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Cedar Grove Will Be Region's First Permanent Rental Housing Complex for Disabled Veterans

On April 4, local non-profit project developers, Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation (VBCDC) and Southeastern Virginia Housing Corporation, will break ground on Cedar Grove Apartments in Virginia Beach. Cedar Grove will be the first permanent supportive rental housing complex in Hampton Roads developed specifically for disabled veterans.

All 32 apartments will be universally designed and 16 units will be fully accessible, including three units, which will be sensory accessible. Case management services will be facilitated by staff from the Hampton Veterans Administration Medical Facility and onsite counselors.

The City of Virginia Beach contributed $450,000 in HUD funding towards the project. Housing & Neighborhood Preservation will also provide housing assistance to the residents using 32 Project-Based Housing Choice Vouchers.

Public Hearing on Proposed 2012-13 Annual Action Plan on April 19

Housing & Neighborhood Preservation is accepting public comments on our 2012-13 Annual Action Plan (AAP). The plan outlines how the department will use and allocate HUD funding during the next fiscal year (July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013).A public hearing will be held on Thursday, April 19, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., 2424 Courthouse Dr., Bldg. 18A, to solicit comments. For more information or if reasonable accommodations are needed, contact Bill Dore at 385-5736 (385-5794 TDD for the hearing impaired only).

The City of Virginia Beach will participate with neighboring cities and nonprofits in the 1,000 Homes for 1,000 Virginians Campaign Registry Week, April 16 to 18,

to identify and house the state's most medically-vulnerable people experiencing homelessness. The effort is part of the national 100,000 Homes Campaign, which aims to find permanent homes for these individuals and families before their homelessness causes them to die.

Volunteers are needed to help with outreach, data entry and logistics during Registry Week. To volunteer, register by April 8 here. Mandatory training for all volunteers will be held April 15.

During Registry Week, teams of volunteers will canvass the region to survey homeless individuals and families living on the streets and in shelters. Participants who complete a brief interview to determine their medical risk factors will then be listed in a regional registry based on the severity of their case. The registry will help ensure that the most medically-vulnerable will receive priority as housing units become available. They will also be connected to treatment and other supportive services to help them build stable lives.

The City of Virginia Beach is partnering with the Cities of Norfolk and Chesapeake for Project Homeless Connect on Wednesday, April 18. Volunteers are needed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Norfolk Scope Exhibition Hall, 201 E. Brambleton Ave. The event provides single homeless adults with one-stop access to a variety of supportive services and resources. Homeless services providers, vendors and donated items are also needed.

Project Homeless Connect features medical providers, housing and employment agencies, and other related resources. Participants also receive donated goods and services from local businesses and faith organizations, including haircuts, clothes, shoes, toiletries and food. Services and resources are designed to assist persons in moving closer to ending their homelessness.

Project Homeless Connect events have captured national attention, having been selected as a "Best Practice" model by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness in 2007. Since its implementation in 2005, Norfolk's Homeless Connect events have provided services to more than 4,000 guests and enlisted the help of nearly 3,000 volunteers. This is the first time that Project Homeless Connect will merge the efforts of Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.

Spring is officially here! And with it comes brighter days, warmer weather and, of course, spring cleaning. Before you roll up your sleeves and get out those brooms, dust pans and gardening tools, Code Enforcement wants residents to keep the following tips in mind, especially during this season:

Waste Disposal

Exercise proper waste disposal practices when cleaning out attics, garages and sheds. Regular household trash can be placed in city-provided containers and set out for collection no later than 7 a.m. on the scheduled collection day. Curbside collection of yard waste in clear plastic bags and small, four-foot piles of limbs occurs each scheduled collection day as well.

When getting rid of bulkier items, such as old furniture, household appliances and machinery, residents should call Waste Management at 385-4650 and schedule a bulk item collection for your next scheduled collection day. Waste Management does not pick up the following items: building materials, carpet, doors, cabinets, toilets, sinks, rocks, dirt, concrete, vehicle parts, tires, paint cans, glass, propane tanks and hazardous materials. Residents can dispose of these items directly at two city landfill facilities free of charge.

The city encourages residents to recycle and provides curbside collection of recyclables every other week in most areas.

For more information on waste disposal regulations and approved recyclable materials, contact Waste Management at 385-4650.

Lawn Care and Property Maintenance

Unkempt lawns and weeds are not only unsightly, but they can also serve as an inviting playground for rodents and vermin. To prevent potential infestations, residents are required to keep their yards maintained in accordance with the city code. Grass and weeds taller than 10 inches must be cut, and all trash, junk and debris stored on your property must be properly disposed of using the waste disposal tips listed above.

Improperly maintained swimming pools can provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which can spread disease. Be sure to maintain your swimming pools and filtration systems to prevent mosquito infestations during the warmer months.

Code Enforcement recommends residents have their trees evaluated by a licensed professional twice a year, during the spring and winter seasons. Proactive and consistent maintenance can help prevent costly tree work and removals when trees are deemed hazardous.

On March 8, more than 250 service providers, city staff and faith community members throughout South Hampton Roads gathered at Old Dominion University's Webb Center for the 2012 South Hampton Roads Regional Conference On Ending Homelessness. The conference provided a forum for sharing national best practices and promoting strategic planning.

Subject matter experts from across the nation provided workshops on topics including accessing services for homeless veterans, prisoner reentry strategies, transitional housing programs for disconnected youth, and employment strategies for the homeless.

The conference was hosted by the South Hampton Roads Regional Task Force to End Homelessness, a partnership between the Cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach; Isle of Wight County; The Planning Council; United Way of South Hampton Roads and non-profit organizations throughout the region.